Cameras spotted Rohit having an animated chat with head coach Gautam Gambhir.© Jio Cinema
New Zealand won a Test in India for the first time in almost 36 years, beating the hosts in the opener of three-match series in Bengaluru on Sunday. The visitors reaped rewards after dismissing India for a record-low total of 46 in the first innings. New Zealand had replied to India’s first innings with 402 then dismissed India for 462 in their second innings. The visitors then chased down 107 with eight wickets to spare, thanks to an unbeaten partnership of 75 between Will Young and Rachin Ravindra.
Recovering from 46 all out was never going to be an easy task for India, and captain Rohit Sharma admitted that “games like these” happen, while further affirming to move forward and give it all as a side in the next two Tests.
“It was a good effort with the bat in the second innings. We did not bat well in the first innings. So knew what was ahead and couple of guys stood out. When you are 350 behind you can’t think too much about it, just got to see the ball and bat,” Rohit said in a post-match press conference.
After the loss, cameras spotted Rohit having an animated chat with head coach Gautam Gambhir and the latter’s assistant Abhishek Nayar in the team’s dressing room.
On Day 5, Jasprit Bumrah gave the home side a glimmer of hope when he removed Latham lbw with the second ball of the day and New Zealand yet to score.
Bumrah and new ball partner Mohammed Siraj then subjected the New Zealand batsmen to a testing start, with deliveries consistently going past the bat on a lively wicket that had been under covers earlier because of rain.
Bumrah struck a second time when he trapped the left-handed Conway lbw after a successful review to leave New Zealand 35-2.
But that was India’s last breakthrough as Young and Ravindra took their team to a famous win.
Ravindra, a Wellington-born batting all-rounder with roots in Bengaluru and his father watching from the stands, hammered 134 in New Zealand’s first innings.
The second Test begins on Thursday in Pune. The third is on November 1 in Mumbai.
(With AFP Inputs)
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